Our People

The series 'Our Air Force, Our People' shares the stories of some of our extraordinary men and women and what the Centenary meant to them. These stories demonstrate the diversity of our current workforce and the excellence and passion that Air Force members demonstrate every day across Australia and around the world.

No.

Flight Lieutenant

Flight Lieutenant Matt Holecek

The countdown is on to our big 100th in 2021! In the lead up, we'll introduce you to some of our exceptional airmen and airwomen. We've captured the stories of current and former serving personnel from around Australia, and found out what being a par...

Corporal Madeline Meyer

A native of Sale, Madi Meyer spent a lot of her time growing up in Yarram where her grandparents farmed. Although, through her father’s work, some of her youth was in Queensland, Madi completed High School in Sale, where spare time was spent fishing,...

Corporal Brodie McIntyre

Corporal Brodie McIntyre and his military working dog Kesha. Keeping our bases safe is a vital role. Brodie has worked with Kesha, a Belgian Malinois, as a Military Working Dog Handler since 2015 and currently protects RAAF Base Darwin.

Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader Lauren Bishop

Anytime we need to move stuff anywhere, people like Squadron Leader Lauren Bishop make it happen.

Wing Commander David Cooksley

Wing Commander David Cooksley, a reservist medical officer, helps make sure our aeromedical evacuation skills are top notch. David, an emergency medicine specialist in his civvy life, is a critical care transport instructor when he dons his #AusAirFo...

Corporal Wade Roberts

Corporal Wade Roberts is one of the many Aircraft Technicians that we rely on to keep our aircraft in the air and ready for action.

Wing Commander Samantha Freebairn

Wing Commander Samantha Freebairn is a C-17A Globemaster pilot; she's flown missions including combat and humanitarian relief.

Warrant Officer

Warrant Officer Scott Atkinson

An active Air Force is a hungry Air Force. Warrant Officer Scott Atkinson has been providing the tasty meals our people need to deliver our best for more than 25 years.

Corporal Isaac Cullen

Corporal Isaac Cullen certainly nailed it with his career choice! He's one of our Carpenters serving here and abroad. A proud North Queenslander, Izzy's chippie skills have been employed on numerous missions over the years, including supporting Opera...

Flight Lieutenant

Flight Lieutenant Paige Starwick

What began as an #AusAirForce Gap Year in 2009 turned into an exciting career as an Air Traffic Controller for Flight Lieutenant Paige Starwick.

Flight Lieutenant

Flight Lieutenant Zac Lofthouse

Managing complex projects, acquiring new capabilities and enhancing his professional engineering skills is all part of the job for recently promoted Aeronautical Engineer Flight Lieutenant Zac Lofthouse.

Corporal Matthew Parker

Like many of our Medics, recently promoted Corporal Matt Parker joined because he wanted to be able to help people here and abroad.

Corporal Petrus Badenhorst

Our Air Force, Our People | Corporal Petrus ‘Bado’ Badenhorst was looking for a trade qualification and with his fine ‘motor’ skills, ended up with a fulfilling career as an #AusAirForce Ground Support Equipment Technician.

Air Commodore Richard Keir

For 30 years Air Commodore Rick Keir has helped lead the evolution of #AusAirForce intelligence; ensuring our people know what they need to know, when they need to know it.

Wing Commander Debbie Newman

Personnel Capability Officer, Wing Commander Debbie Newman is working to plan and shape our workforce structures with a focus on increasing diversity and inclusion.

Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader Luke Warner

You may not have heard of Squadron Leader Luke “Warners” Warner, but you probably remember that time back in 2006 when he and the pilot belly landed an F-111 at RAAF Base Amberley.

Wing Commander Mary Anne Whiting

Wing Commander Mary Anne Whiting works in our History and Heritage Branch and she’s sure seen her fair share of #AusAirForce history first hand in her almost 50 years of service.

Air Commodore Gary Martin

Air Commodore Gary Martin looks after our Air Force Cadets. With our capabilities constantly expanding and technology advancing, we have to prepare ourselves for the unknown challenges and roles of tomorrow. Air Commodore Gary Martin is using ...

Leading Aircraftman

Leading Aircraftman Philip Huntley

Firefighters have to be fit, given the demanding role they play in our communities, so snowboarding, bushwalking and mountain bike riding are natural hobbies for firefighters like Philip Huntley.

Corporal Sheree Woodward

Whether it’s on base or out in the field, our team of chefs like Corporal Sheree Woodward keep us fuelled up with delicious nutritious meals that power our people to get the job done. Working at RAAF Base Darwin has allowed Sheree to develop her m...

Warrant Officer

Warrant Officer George Sutton

When you grow up in Newman, WA, you’d expect because of its remoteness, that you’d be a seasoned airline traveller, but for George Sutton it wasn’t so. He took his first flight to attend a job interview.

Warrant Officer-Air Force

Warrant Officer-Air Force Fiona Grasby

In February 1993 the role of Warrant Officer of the RAAF was created to advise and assist the Chief of Air Force and Commanders, on the morale, work-life and general welfare of the airmen and airwomen in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Flight Sergeant

Flight Sergeant Darrin Tapp

Darrin Tapp was born in the north-eastern Tasmanian township of St Marys and grew up in the tin mining town of Rossarden at the foothills of the picturesque Ben Lomond National Park before seeking a career in the wider world.

Leading Aircraftman

Leading Aircraftman Amit Jindal

Leading Aircraftman Amit Jindal is a Personnel Capability Specialist with the Royal Australian Air Force’s Directorate of Personal Branch, Canberra.

Group Captain Wendy Horder

Having an interest in aircraft and a desire to travel the world would see a lot of people think of an aviation career with a commercial airline, but not Wendy Horder.

Indigenous Elder RAAF

Indigenous Elder - Uncle Harry Allie

Being the first in a significant personal or career role is something most of us aspire to, but the first Indigenous Elder in the Australian Defence Force had no such goal. It happened because Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO recognised leadership, humilit...

Wing Commander Greg Williams

In the modern world it is unusual for an employee to spend fifty years working for one organisation, but Rockhampton born Greg Williams has done just that.

Squadron Leader Stephen Lampard

A keen golfer and a model train hobbyist, Stephen Lampard calls South East Queensland his home as he heads toward retirement from his 50 plus year career in Military aviation.

Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader Ajitha Sugnanam

When Squadron Leader Ajitha Sugnanam joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a dentist, it allowed her to achieve her dream helping people in need in remote locations. It also equipped her with the leadership skills and experience she needed to foun...

Ms Annie Goldsack

Annie Goldsack born in Queanbeyan, bordering NSW and the ACT, sees her rehousing of Timorese and Kosovar refugees in Victoria, as one her life’s highlights.

Air Vice-Marshal

Air Vice-Marshal Tracy Smart

The rolling hills and beauty of Kangarilla on a farm steeped in family history would normally keep a resident locked into a life in that idyllic location, but not Tracy Smart.

Sergeant David Hutton

“It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure” was a Defence Recruiting slogan that got the attention of a young man who decided that a career with the Australian Defence Force would help prove that he was more than just his school grades.

Wing Commander (Retired)

Wing Commander Robyn Clay-Williams (retired)

For a ten year old girl from the “Shire” to fall in love with flying during a school excursion is unremarkable, it’s what she did with that love, that is remarkable.

Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld

Growing up in Broken Hill Mel Hupfeld’s interest in flying started before he was born when his Dad took his Mum for a flight in a Tiger Moth, with Mel still in the womb.

Warrant Officer

Warrant Officer Katrina Salvesen

Gaining a Distinguished Graduate Certificate at the end of three months training at Oklahoma, USA, on the C-17A as a loadmaster, is just another moment in the remarkable story of our first female Warrant Officer Loadmaster Katrina Salvesen.

Leading Aircraftwoman

Leading Aircraftwoman Chantelle Bradford

Chantelle Bradford always had a desire to fly while growing up in Queensland, and her formative work years were spent as cabin crew with QANTAS, travelling Australia and the world.

Corporal Brody Peate

A member of the Narrabri Dirt Bike Club while growing up, Brody Peate developed an interest in challenging mechanical performance activities, leading eventually to a career in aviation maintenance.

Air Chief Marshal

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston

Working as a share farmer in the middle of an Australian drought is as good a reason as any to look for a career change, and Angus Houston decided that another career would better suit his future, especially as farming had left him stony broke.

Mr Murray Sullivan

Leaving a job held for 24 years doesn’t mean leaving the industry that has been a lifetime career, and for Murray Sullivan continuation of his aviation career means enabling training for other aviation career aspirants.

Mr David Gardner

In 1967 Dave Gardner was introduced to the latest aviation technology through his work on the Mirage, Sabre and Vampire fleet of the Royal Australian Air Force; technology that he still works with today.

Wing Commander Peter Overton

Growing up in Sydney, Peter Overton moved from North Sydney Boys High to Macquarie University and graduated with a Bachelor of Economics, however his love of storytelling and discovering more about people won out and drew him to the media.

Air Chief Marshal

Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin (ret'd)

Mark Binskin was born in Campbelltown, NSW, and as long as he can remember he has always wanted to fly. Inspired by his father’s love of flying, and with support of his parents, his desire to fly was reinforced when two Mirage jets flew low over ...

Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader Michael Phillips (Ret'd)

Working part-time in an honorary capacity with his local RSL, Jesmond local Michael Phillips loves the beaches of Newcastle when it’s time to relax.

Corporal Natasha Wilson

Natasha Wilson grew up in Kyneton, central Victoria, and joined the ADF as a Combat Systems operator with the Royal Australian Navy before a career change beckoned.

Flying OfficerRyan Rosenberger

Indonesian-born Ryan Rosenberger has called Queensland home since he was eight years old, and decided on a career in engineering after finishing school in 2014, leading to some amazing opportunities.

Pilot Officer John Lewin

Born and raised in Sydney, completing high school in 2009, and the time later spent studying for a Bachelor of Aviation and completing a Commercial Pilots Licence has paid off handsomely for John Lewin.